Malacañang on Wednesday accused the previous administration of profiteering from the government purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) sets.
The Palace issued the statement as the Department of Health (DOH) and the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) continue to face investigation from lawmakers for alleged irregularities in the purchase of PPE sets from Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp.
In an online news briefing, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque presented the procurement documents of DOH for the two batches of PPE sets during the term of the late former President Benigno Aquino III.
The first document, which was dated Sept. 28, 2015, was for the procurement of 2,500 PPEs, which were priced at P3,500 per set.
The other contract was for the purchase of 3,750 PPEs worth P3,864 per set on June 23, 2016.
Roque noted the prices of PPEs in both contracts were about twice of the price of the PPEs purchased by DOH last year amid the onset of Covid-19 last year when such sets were in high demand.
Each of the PPE sets purchased by DOH for the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 was only worth P1,700, he added.
Roque urged Senator Franklin Drilon, a stalwart of the Liberal Party where Aquino is also a member, to explain the purchase of the more expensive PPEs.
“Senator Drilon, please explain why your allies bought PPEs, which are worth double [the price] at a time when there is no pandemic,” Roque said.
“Some really profited [from the PPE procurement], but it is not this administration,” he added.
Lowest price
Roque also dismissed allegations of irregularity by some senators in the involvement of former economic adviser Michael Yang in the transaction between PS-DBM and Pharmally for the PPE procurement.
He insisted the procurement contract was awarded to Pharmally after it offered the lowest priced PPEs and not because of Yang’s involvement.
Some lawmakers expressed concern on why the government awarded the contract to Pharmally despite being a newly formed company and having an initial paid-up capital of only P625,000.
Roque noted the awarding of the contract to Pharmally is a non issue since it was able to deliver all PPEs purchased by the government.